sally mathewsparry
New Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
My hba1c reading has gone up to 68, can anyone suggest a good diet on bringing this down?
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HELP
- Thread starter sally mathewsparry
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I think the first step is to get a meter if you don't have one. I think the Codefree may be the best because its test strips are amongst the cheapest.
Then use it to see which meals are causing you problems with a before and two hours after test.
Foods which are likely to be causing you problems are Porage (maybe), bread (especially white), pasta, potatoes, rice etc.
Of course, the usual favourites of cakes, biscuits and other sweet things will also cause a problem!
How people react to different carbs is quite personal, though. For example, porage doesn't really affect me but it sends others sky high. So that is why testing is so useful.
Also, if you are able, don't ignore regular exercise. I always found that a major help in getting my levels under control.
Andy 🙂
Then use it to see which meals are causing you problems with a before and two hours after test.
Foods which are likely to be causing you problems are Porage (maybe), bread (especially white), pasta, potatoes, rice etc.
Of course, the usual favourites of cakes, biscuits and other sweet things will also cause a problem!
How people react to different carbs is quite personal, though. For example, porage doesn't really affect me but it sends others sky high. So that is why testing is so useful.
Also, if you are able, don't ignore regular exercise. I always found that a major help in getting my levels under control.
Andy 🙂
sally mathewsparry
New Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi Martin, I have been type 2 for 7 years now, my reading last year was 54 and now up to 68, the nurse is threatening to put me on insulin which of course I dont want. My reading last week was 68, I have lost a stone since october and have cut out bread and have very little potatoes and rice. I do have a meter but dread doing the readings. I am thinking of doing the Keyto Diet but not sure if this is any good for me.
sally mathewsparry
New Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi Andy, you would have thought I would have learned by now, I just need more help on which foods I should avoid altogether as the support at my surgery is next to non
Docb
Moderator
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
Hi sally, can I suggest that you gird your loins, give your self a stiff talking to or whatever you need to do and take the plunge with your meter? As has been said it's all guess work until you get some hard information to work with and some blood glucose measuremens is the only hard information you are going to get. Find out where you are at, find out what is good for you and what is not and then work with it to get your BG down. If the best the DN can come up with is threats of insulin, then its time for you to take control!
That sounds a bit bullying I know and getting over barriers can be harder for some than others but if you read posts you will find many examples of members who have used that approach and got things sorted. There is no magic list of foods that are good, just some general principles which you can use to find out what works for you. Finger pricking and mapping your blood glucose levels is by far the quickest way of working out what is good for you.
That sounds a bit bullying I know and getting over barriers can be harder for some than others but if you read posts you will find many examples of members who have used that approach and got things sorted. There is no magic list of foods that are good, just some general principles which you can use to find out what works for you. Finger pricking and mapping your blood glucose levels is by far the quickest way of working out what is good for you.
rebrascora
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 1
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Hi and welcome from me too.
I also would encourage you to take control and start testing, before each meal and 2 hours afterwards. Who cares what the readings are at the moment, the important thing is to gain information from them on which foods you are eating are causing your BG to rise too much and reduce portion size of them or cut them out altogether. When you follow a very low carb diet, it is important to find low carb treat alternatives that you enjoy to replace the things you can no longer eat, so that you don't feel deprived as this is a lifestyle change, not a weight loss diet, so it needs to be sustainable for the rest of your life. One of the things which helped me a lot was increasing my fat intake. This is contrary to most of the advice we have been given throughout our lives, so it takes a leap of faith, but many of us find it helps our BG levels become more stable and makes our food enjoyable which is hugely important. Some people even find that their cholesterol reduces despite eating more fat and people find they still lose weight. The advantage of fat it that it takes longer to be digested, so it helps keep hunger at bay, meaning you are likely to eat less, it provides slow release energy and it slows the release of glucose form carbohydrates that you do eat and it tastes good. Most low fat products have extra carbs added to make them taste better or improve the texture or both. For instance, creamy natural Greek yoghurt is much lower in carbohydrates than a Weight Watchers or Muller Light yoghurt, doesn't have a whole load of chemicals added to it and tastes delicious. I have it for breakfast with a few berries(raspberries, blueberries and strawberries) and mixed seeds and some ground almonds or chopped hazelnuts. And I have cream in my coffee instead of sugar or sweetener and it tastes far better and is lower carb than using skimmed milk.
Cauliflower is a wonder veg for us diabetics and can be cooked and mashed with a good dollop of cream cheese to replace potato either as a side veg with bangers or even to top a cottage pie or fish pie, liberally sprinkled with grated cheese and browned off in the over. It can also be grated and used as a rice replacement and who doesn't love cauliflower cheese but instead of making a cheese sauce with flour and butter and milk, coat the cooked cauli in cream cheese and then grated cheese and brown off in the oven or under the grill. Tastes great and is even easier to make than a conventional cheese sauce.
If you give us an idea of the sort of things you normally eat and drink for breakfast, lunch and dinner ie what a typical day's menu looks like for you, we could give you a few suggestions for other swaps which might help lower your levels but self testing really is key because we all respond differently to different types of carbs. It is not so much about following a diet as avoiding high carbohydrate foods as much as possible and experimenting with other foods to find replacements that you will enjoy as much or even more.
Cheese, nuts, olives and boiled eggs are all things I eat if I am feeling hungry or want a treat..... or maybe a square of 75% cocoa chocolate with or without a spoonful of peanut butter, if I fancy a sweet treat.
Hope that gives you some ideas.
There is also the possibility that you are not Type 2 but a slow onset Type 1 diabetic, which is often referred to as LADA (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults or Type 1.5) If you cut your carbohydrates as low as possible and your readings don't respond, then that would be indicated. Figuring out how many carbs (in grams) you are currently eating will help to know how much more you can easily ditch to lower your readings.
I also would encourage you to take control and start testing, before each meal and 2 hours afterwards. Who cares what the readings are at the moment, the important thing is to gain information from them on which foods you are eating are causing your BG to rise too much and reduce portion size of them or cut them out altogether. When you follow a very low carb diet, it is important to find low carb treat alternatives that you enjoy to replace the things you can no longer eat, so that you don't feel deprived as this is a lifestyle change, not a weight loss diet, so it needs to be sustainable for the rest of your life. One of the things which helped me a lot was increasing my fat intake. This is contrary to most of the advice we have been given throughout our lives, so it takes a leap of faith, but many of us find it helps our BG levels become more stable and makes our food enjoyable which is hugely important. Some people even find that their cholesterol reduces despite eating more fat and people find they still lose weight. The advantage of fat it that it takes longer to be digested, so it helps keep hunger at bay, meaning you are likely to eat less, it provides slow release energy and it slows the release of glucose form carbohydrates that you do eat and it tastes good. Most low fat products have extra carbs added to make them taste better or improve the texture or both. For instance, creamy natural Greek yoghurt is much lower in carbohydrates than a Weight Watchers or Muller Light yoghurt, doesn't have a whole load of chemicals added to it and tastes delicious. I have it for breakfast with a few berries(raspberries, blueberries and strawberries) and mixed seeds and some ground almonds or chopped hazelnuts. And I have cream in my coffee instead of sugar or sweetener and it tastes far better and is lower carb than using skimmed milk.
Cauliflower is a wonder veg for us diabetics and can be cooked and mashed with a good dollop of cream cheese to replace potato either as a side veg with bangers or even to top a cottage pie or fish pie, liberally sprinkled with grated cheese and browned off in the over. It can also be grated and used as a rice replacement and who doesn't love cauliflower cheese but instead of making a cheese sauce with flour and butter and milk, coat the cooked cauli in cream cheese and then grated cheese and brown off in the oven or under the grill. Tastes great and is even easier to make than a conventional cheese sauce.
If you give us an idea of the sort of things you normally eat and drink for breakfast, lunch and dinner ie what a typical day's menu looks like for you, we could give you a few suggestions for other swaps which might help lower your levels but self testing really is key because we all respond differently to different types of carbs. It is not so much about following a diet as avoiding high carbohydrate foods as much as possible and experimenting with other foods to find replacements that you will enjoy as much or even more.
Cheese, nuts, olives and boiled eggs are all things I eat if I am feeling hungry or want a treat..... or maybe a square of 75% cocoa chocolate with or without a spoonful of peanut butter, if I fancy a sweet treat.
Hope that gives you some ideas.
There is also the possibility that you are not Type 2 but a slow onset Type 1 diabetic, which is often referred to as LADA (Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults or Type 1.5) If you cut your carbohydrates as low as possible and your readings don't respond, then that would be indicated. Figuring out how many carbs (in grams) you are currently eating will help to know how much more you can easily ditch to lower your readings.
Brando77
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
If you don't test after meals you won't know what skyrockets your blood glucose and cut it/ cut portion from your diet. Carbs are the Devils playthings.
Don't dread your meter, use it as your only tool in this D thing. Mine is called Percy 🙂
Neens
Well-Known Member
- Relationship to Diabetes
- Type 2
If you are considering keto I would start with low carb and work your way down. I didn't think I could manage on the keto diet but I have keto days. This may not work for everyone but I have managed to lose just over a stone so far and the weight is certainly dropping quicker than it did on Low Fat diets in the past (before I was diabetic) - also low carb is something I can maintain whereas low fat never was.
You will find out what is best for you. Try eating similar to how you did when you dropped into 50 range. If you can recall what you had then.
I would ditch the rice and potatoes if you can - I know we are allowed a little but there are great low carb alternatives.
You have lots of good advice on this thread.
Welcome to the forum, a great place to come and ask questions.
You will find out what is best for you. Try eating similar to how you did when you dropped into 50 range. If you can recall what you had then.
I would ditch the rice and potatoes if you can - I know we are allowed a little but there are great low carb alternatives.
You have lots of good advice on this thread.
Welcome to the forum, a great place to come and ask questions.
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